Johnny Cash was once a comic book hero.
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In 1976, the Man in Black debuted Hello, I'm Johnny Cash. Co-written by the country music legend, it detailed the highs and lows of his life. It's now being reissued five decades later.
The Comic Was a Passion Project for Johnny Cash
As reported by PEOPLE, celebrities sharing their stories in a comic book wasn't common in the late 1970s. This is why Hello, I'm Johnny Cash was such a groundbreaking endeavor.
The project features art from Al Hartley, known for his work with Archie Comics. It is also co-written by Billy Zeoli. Publisher Z2 Comics describes it as a "genuine creative endeavor."
And much like the 2005 film Walk the Line, the comic follows Cash's rise to the top of the country music world. Z2 Comics says the story is a "cautionary tale," using vibrant imagery to reach a wide audience. But it doesn't shy away from the uglier parts of the singer's life, including his issues with substance abuse, his divorce from Vivian Liberto, and a run-in with the law.
"Decades before music and graphic storytelling became a thriving medium, Cash recognized the power of sequential imagery to tell his powerful story," the publisher said in a press release.
This New Edition Will Have New Material
The re-released edition of Hello, I'm Johnny Cash will have two new cover variants for collectors, with artwork by Chip Kidd and Tim Bradstreet. Journalist Alex Segura and Cash's son, John Carter Cash, have also penned some words for the reissued comic.
"Having [the comic] reissued 50 years later and coming out on Local Comic Store Day is pretty cool. Having people celebrate something as unique as this comic, and the continued interest in my father says as much about the fans as it does about him," said John Carter.
The reissued edition of Hello, I'm Johnny Cash will be in stores on Wednesday, Sep. 23.
